Arm exercising and stomach treatment apparatus



De c. 1, 1936.

P.. E. ERICKSON V ARM EXERCISING AND STOMACH TREATMENT APPARATUS Original Filed June 10, 1935 IN V ENT 0R.

Patented Dec. 1, .1936

ARM EXERCISING AND STOMACH TREATMENT APPARATUS Prentis E. Erickson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to James B. Bradshaw, Minneapolis, Minn.

Original application June 10, 1935, Serial No. 25,924. Divided and this application January 23, 1936, Serial No. 60,509

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in exercising and massaging apparatus, and more particularly to a device used in connection with a bed support upon which the patient lies, and receives 5 treatment from the vibrator mounted above the bed support to exercise and massage the stomach, or grasps the reciprocating hand rods mounted at the opposite sides of the bed, thereby exercising the arm and upper body muscles.

An object of the invention is to provide a suitable bed support upon which is mounted my improved stomach massaging or vibrating and kneading apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitable bed support upon which is mounted a pair of vertically reciprocating hand rods suitably connected and driven by a source of motive power, at all times within the control of the patient being treated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a highly efiicient and inexpensive exercising and vibrating apparatus, which will exercise all portions and muscles in the body, while in a reclining position, thereby taking the entire strain from the normally over-worked heart of the patient being treated, said treatment being efiected in a minimum of time, and with a maximum of efficiency.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of my application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete apparatus;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus with stomach vibrating and kneading apparatus removed, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section of my improved stomach vibrating and kneading apparatus.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawing to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable supporting bed I having a plurality of legs 2 at the opposite ends thereof. The upper body and arm exercising apparatus consists of a frame I! mounted below the bed support I, which carries the electric driving motor [8 provided with the gear l9, which in turn meshes with the large gear wheel 28 supported on a shaft carried by the frame ll. A pair of guides 2| are positioned at the opposite sides of the bed support I, and are adapted to receive the vertically reciprocable hand rods 22, whichare connected together at PATENT OFFICE their lower ends by the cross brace 23, which in turn is connected to the large gear wheel 20 by the eccentric link 24. Thus when the control switch 25 for the motor I8 is closed, the hand rods 22 will be reciprocated vertically at a rapid 5 rate, thus exercising the muscles of the arms and the upper body. If the patient tries to hasten or speed up the rate of reciprocation, additional muscular benefit will be received.

In Figures 1 and 3, I have shown the additional 10 vibrating and. exercising apparatus for treating the body by actual kneading contact and vibration. A vibrator motor 26 will be supported by the bracket 21 on the adjustable cross rod 28, which in turn will be provided with the end clamp- 15 ing means 29 for clamping to the vertical hand rods 22 at the desired height above the body of the patient when on the bed support. The motor driven vibrator is mounted in a vertical position,

and supports through the ball and socket joint 30, 20

the applicator 3i, which comprises a plurality of flexible downwardly and laterally extending fingers having resilient spring cores and covers of rubber, leather, or other desired material. The springs 32 tend to effect a kneading 25 action on the patient when the motor driven vibrator is reciprocated up and down by its driving or reciprocating mechanism, and the covers 33 over the spring fingers 32 protect the body of the patient, and also being somewhat pliable serve to 30 further massage action. It is understood that the applicator 3| moves up and down in contact with the patients body, and also vibrates at the same time. A control switch 34 controls the vibrator motor 28, and is mounted on the side of 35 the bed support I within easy reach of the patient being treated.

It will be understood that the arm exercising apparatus and the stomach vibrating and treatment apparatus cooperate to produce an effect 40 different or modified from the efiect resulting from the separate use of the two apparatuses, which effect has been found very beneficial in treatment for various ailments.

Many minor changes in detail of construction 45 may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 50

1. A device of the character described comprising a bed support upon which the person being treated lies upon his back, an arm vibrator and exerciser mounted adjacent the middle of said bed, and a vibrating kneading device adjustably 5 and a separate source of driving power for said kneading and vibrating apparatus.

4. A device of the character described comprising a supporting bed upon which the person being treated lies upon his back, a reciprocating arm exercising mechanism mounted adjacent the center of said bed, a separate driving means therefor, and a power operated vibrating kneading mechanism supported upon said reciprocating arm exercising mechanism, whereby the patients 10 body may be treated.

PRENTIS E. ERICKSON. 

